Utilization of sun-dried on-farm generated poultry litter as a feed resource for growing-finishing pigs

Forty eight (48) growing-finishing pigs (36.11 ± 1.26 kg) were allotted to three dietary treatment groups of 0, 33.33 and 66.67% sun-dried on-farm generated poultry litter (SOPL) as a replacement for 30% maize in diets of growing-finishing pigs on weight basis to assess its implication on the chemical composition of the feed, growth performance and blood chemistry of the pigs. Each treatment was replicated four times with 4 pigs/replicate in a completely randomized design. The diets were formulated to contain 16 - 19% crude protein and the pigs housed in concrete floored pens containing feeding and watering troughs for the duration of the study. The results obtained in this study revealed some numerical differences in the crude protein and fibre contents of the SOPL diets over the controldiet. Increases were also recorded in the acid detergent fibre (ADF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent lignin (ADL) fractions of the diets as a result of the replacement levels of SOPL. Daily weight gains and the efficiency of feed utilization of the growing pigs were not significantly (P > 0.05) influenced by the graded levels of SOPL. Replacement of maize with 33 and 66% SOPL resulted in 10.4 -20.9% reduction in the cost of feed/kg. This in turn resulted in 15 - 25% reduction in the cost of feed required for an additional kg gain/pig when the graded levels of SOPL was fed to the pigs. An increased level of up to 66% SOPL resulted in a depression (P < 0.05) in the values of packed cell volume (PCV) and white blood cells (WBC) while the hemoglobin, serum glucose, urea, creatinine and glutamate pyruvate transaninase values of the pigs across the groups were unaffected (P > 0.05). However, variations recorded in the values of the red blood cells (RBC) and alkaline phosphatase did not follow any particular trend. The values of the serum total protein, albumin and cholesterol values increased significantly (P < 0.05)

Growing pigs fed cassava peel based diet supplemented with or without Farmazyme® 3000 proenx: Effect on growth, carcass and blood parameters

36 growing pigs (average initial weight of 22.74 ± 0.88 kg) were allotted to three dietary treatment groups of 30%maize-based control diet and 30%cassava-peel based diet supplemented with or without Farmazyme® 3000 proenx. Each treatment had three replicates of 4 pigs/replicate (12 pigs/treatment) in a complete randomized design. The pigs were allowed ad libitum access to the diets and water throughout the 42-day duration of the trial. The replacement of the 30% maize in the control diet with cassava peel resulted in increased bulkiness and crude fiber contents of the cassava peel-based diets, hence, lowered energy content. There was also a reduction in the dry matter intake of the pigs and the cost of feed per kg intake by 19.6 and 23.5% for the cassava peel based diet with and without Farmazyme® inclusion, respectively. The replacement of the maize content of the control diet with cassava peel resulted in 23 to 24% reduction in the cost of feed per kg live weight gain of the growing pigs. Farmazyme® resulted in enhanced utilization (P < 0.05) of the cassava peel-based diet in terms of the daily and overall weight gains as well as the serum total protein, albumin, urea and cholesterol. While the heamoglobin and red blood cell (RBC) of the pigs were significantly positively influenced by the inclusion of the enzyme, it had no effect on the packed cell volume (PCV). The blood minerals (Na, Ca, Cl and P), relative organ weights and dressing percentage of the pigs were neither affected by the cassava peel replacement nor the enzyme inclusion but for the kidney, where lower values were obtained both for the control and Farmazyme® supplemented cassava peel based diets. It could therefore be concluded that, inclusion of Farmazyme® 3000 proenx enhanced utilization of the cassava peel-based diet thereby, resulting in performance results comparable to pigs fed the maize-based control diet.Keywords: Cassava peels, growing pigs, non-starch polysaccharides, exogenous enzyme, pig feedin

Use of mixed methods designs in substance research: a methodological necessity in Nigeria

The utility of mixed methods (qualitative and quantitative) is becoming increasingly accepted in health sciences, but substance studies are yet to substantially benefit from such utilities. While there is a growing number of mixed methods alcohol articles concerning developed countries, developing nations are yet to embrace this method. In the Nigerian context, the importance of mixed methods research is yet to be acknowledged. This article therefore, draws on alcohol studies to argue that mixed methods designs will better equip scholars to understand, explore, describe and explain why alcohol consumption and its related problems are increasing in Nigeria. It argues that as motives for consuming alcohol in contemporary Nigeria are multiple, complex and evolving, mixed method approaches that provide multiple pathways for proffering solutions to problems should be embraced

Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study

Background Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide.Methods A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study-a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital.Findings Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.85 [95% CI 2.58-5.75]; p<0.0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63.0% vs 82.7%; OR 0.35 [0.23-0.53]; p<0.0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer.Interpretation Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised

Utilization of maize bran-based diets supplemented with Roxazyme G2 G by broilers

One hundred and fifty broilers (Abor AcrePlus Strain) were randomly assigned to 5 dietary treatments of 3 replicates each. Five diets (Diet 1: basal, maize-based, with no Roxazyme G2 G enzyme; Diet 2: 20% maize bran with Roxazyme G2 G; Diet 3: 20% maize bran without Roxazyme G2 G; Diet 4: 40% maize bran with Roxazyme G2 G and Diet 5: 40% maize bran without Roxazyme G2 G) were formulated and offered to the birds. The aim was to compare the performance of the birds on the enzyme-supplemented diets and the unsupplemented diets with those on the maize-based diets. Feed intake and weight gain were significantly (

Evaluation of enzyme supplementation of palm kernel meal-based diets on the performance of broilers

An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of partially replacing maize with palm kernel meal with and without enzyme supplementation on the performance and gut morphology of broilers. One hundred and fifty (150) 7 day-old broiler chicks were randomly allotted to 5 dietary treatment groups of 3 replicates each. Each replicate had10 birds. The experimental design was Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The diets were as follows: diet 1- control diet; diet 2- 10% PKM with Hemicell; diet 3- 10% PKM without Hemicell; diet 4- 20% PKM with Hemicell and diet 5- 20% PKM without Hemicell. The active ingredient in Hemicell is ß-mannanase. Palm kernel meal replaced 10% and 20% of maize in the test diet. The control diet had no palm kernel meal and Hemicell was added to diets 2 and 4 at the rate of 500g/tonne of feed. Routine management and vaccination procedures were followed while fresh feed and water were supplied ad libitum. The experiment lasted 42days. Significant differences were observed in the final body weight and weight gain of the birds with birds on diet 5 having the highest values. No significant differences were observed in the gut morphology (villus height) of the birds on the different diets. The feed cost and cost incurred per kilogramme weight gain were lowest for birds on diet 5.The results of this study showed that broilers can tolerate 20% inclusion rate of palm kernel meal in their rations without enzyme supplementation and partially replacing maize with palm kernel meal at that level of inclusion can reduce the cost of production of broilers.Key words: Broilers, enzyme, hemicell, morphology, palm kernel meal, villus

Effect of an acidifier as replacement for antibiotics on the performance and gut morphology of broilers

An experiment was conducted to determine the influence of an acidifier as an alternative to antibiotics on the performance and gut morphology of broiler chickens. One hundred and eighty (180) 7-day old broiler chicks were randomly assigned to 3 dietary treatments of 4 replicates each. Each replicate had 15 birds. The diets fed to the birds were: Treatment 1- diet with neither antibiotic nor acidifier; Treatment 2- diet with antibiotic and Treatment 3- diet with acidifier. The antibiotic used was Enrofloxacin which was administered to the birds on Treatment 2 via their drinking water while the acidifier used was Biotronic SE (a combination of propionic and formic acids) which was added to the diet of birds on Treatment 3 at the rate of 4kg/tonne of feed. The experiment lasted 42 days. No significant differences were observed in the feed intake, final weight and weight gain of the birds on the different diets. Significant differences were however observed in the villus height in the duodenum and ileum of the birds. The crypt depth values in the different segments of the small intestines of the birds were not significantly affected by the different treatments.Key words: Organic acids, Biotronic SE, Enrofloxacin, Crypt, villus